The Cordillera Central in Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Several Caribbean islands and nations can be seen here, including Haiti and parts of the Dominican Republic (right), Cuba (center left), Jamaica (lower left), some islands of the Bahamas (north and northeast of Cuba) and the Turks and Caicos Islands (north of Haiti).

Of note is the Cordillera Central range, the greatest of the Dominican Republic’s mountain chains, visible as a dark green area stretching from the Haiti-Dominican Republic border to the far right edge of the image. The Cordillera Central extends from the plains between San Cristóbal and Baní to the northwestern peninsula of Haiti, where it is known as Massif du Nord.

Pico Duarte, the highest peak in all of the Caribbean islands, can be found in the Cordillera Central. The mountain’s height continues to be debated; the official elevation as recorded by Dominican government agencies is 3,087 meters, while 2003 estimates using GPS technology have found it to be 3,098 meters.